Typical transit days
UPS doesn't publish its transit times as data, so these are estimates from distance and UPS's published 1–5 day window:
| Route | Miles | Estimate (business days) |
|---|---|---|
| New York → Los Angeles | 2,460 | 4–5 |
| Chicago → Houston | 940 | 3–4 |
| Atlanta → Miami | 610 | 3–4 |
| Boston → Washington, DC | 390 | 2–3 |
| Denver → Dallas | 660 | 3–4 |
| Seattle → Portland, OR | 140 | 1–2 |
| Phoenix → Las Vegas | 250 | 2–3 |
| Minneapolis → St. Louis | 470 | 2–3 |
Estimates in business days. UPS's own tool at ups.com gives the scheduled date for a specific shipment.
Business days only
UPS Ground counts Monday through Friday. A 3-day Ground package shipped Thursday is due Tuesday. UPS does deliver to many homes on Saturdays, which can only make a package early. It closes on six or seven holidays a year; see the holiday schedule.
UPS Ground vs. USPS Ground Advantage
On most routes they're within a day of each other. USPS counts Saturdays, so Ground Advantage often lands the same day on the calendar. For heavier packages UPS is often cheaper; for light ones USPS usually is. Compare all three carriers on the delivery-time calculator.
Estimates, not UPS's data
Days are counted from the day the carrier accepts the package (day 0), skipping Sundays and holidays and Saturdays. Holiday peak (mid-November to late December) can add a day or more. For a specific shipment, check the carrier's own tool.
Service information checked November 2026.
Other services
- USPS First-Class MailLetters, cards and large envelopes.
- USPS Ground AdvantageUSPS's everyday package service.
- USPS Priority MailFaster USPS packages, with Flat Rate boxes.
- USPS Priority Mail ExpressUSPS's fastest service, with a money-back guarantee.
- UPS GroundUPS's economy service, zip to zip.
- FedEx Ground and Home DeliveryFedEx's economy services, zip to zip.
Or compare every carrier at once on the delivery-time calculator.
Questions people ask
Does UPS Ground deliver on Saturday?
To many residential addresses, yes, but UPS Ground transit times are counted in business days (Monday to Friday).
Is UPS Ground faster than FedEx Ground?
Usually they take the same number of days on the same route. Which one wins depends on the carriers' hubs for your two ZIP codes.
Why does UPS Ground take longer one way?
Transit depends on UPS's hub network, so A to B can differ from B to A by a day. Check UPS's tool for the exact route.